Kobe says next two seasons will be his last

With a savage competitive streak and seemingly undying passion for the game, Kobe Bryant always seemed to be the type of player who would play as long as his body could stand up to the pounding.

And he still might. But based on Bryant’s recent conversation with Ken Berger of CBS Sports.com, the end could be nearer than expected. Indeed, one of the most prominent members of the Spurs’ rogues gallery said he’s planning on retiring when his current contract expires in 2014, at which point he’d be 36 with 18 seasons to his name.

“It’s just that three more years seems like a really long time to continue to stay at a high, high level of training and preparation and health,” Bryant told Berger. “That’s a lot of years. For a guard? That’s a lot of years. It’s not about health necessarily. It’s about ‘Do I want to do it? Do I have that hunger to continue to prepare at a high level?'”

A pretty startling admission from a lifer like Bryant, whose reality has revolved around basketball since he was a boy.

Especially with one of the most hallowed records in the NBA, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record, on the horizon. (Bryant currently stands seventh on the list with 29,484 points, roughly 9,000 less than Abdul-Jabbar’s 38,387.) But Bryant said he has no interest in hanging around while his skills deteriorate past their current All-Star level.

“That’s not gonna happen,” Bryant said. “That’s just not me.”

Bryant reserved the right to change his mind. But if you love to hate Kobe — and what good Spurs fan doesn’t? — it appears you should get your boos in while you can.